ECMWF

Highlights from MSCR, May 2011

Every year, ECMWF hosts a meeting for the Member State Computing Representatives. In 2011, this meeting (MSCR-23) took place from May 24 – 26.
The presentations (almost all) from the meeting are available on the Internet (see menu).

This page gives some highlights which might be relevant for KNMI and other dutch users of ECMWF computing facilities.

HPC Phase 2

The present contract for High Performance Computing with IBM covers the period until 2014. Phase 2 of the contract, in which both of the compute clusters will be upgraded with the newest technology, starts this year. The CPU capacity of the new clusters will be approximately 2.5 times that of the present.
However, the new P7 HPC servers will be available later than originally planned, which means that the start of the trial service is now expected in March 2012.

Ecgate

The ecgate server still has enough capacity to meet with user requirements, but the hardware, partly still from the previous HPC systems, is aging, and expected to be less reliable. And the support contract with IBM ends in June 2013.
As a replacement, ECMWF proposes a 64-bit Linux cluster.

Currently, an ITT for such a new machine is being prepared. User input is welcomed on e.g.

• What Fortran compilers to install. The gcc/gfortran compilers will certainly be available, but there are also other possibilities (PGI, Intel).
• What batch system to choose
• Expected migration issues.

GRIB-2 and GRIB API

Since 18 May 2011, ECMWF is disseminating model level data in GRIB-2 only. At present, it is still possible to convert these data back to GRIB-1, although the conversion will not be perfect. At the end of the year, however, when the operational model will be upgraded, the complete set of model levels will no longer fit in GRIB-1 anymore.
There are no plans to migrate all GRIB-1 data to GRIB-2.

The new grib_api software handles both GRIB-1 and GRIB-2 data transparently. Therefore, users are urged to migrate their software to grib_api and not use the old gribex anymore. There is a python interface to grib_api.

Magics++ and Metview

Magics-6 will not be available on new (Linux and/or 64 bit) platforms at ECMWF anymore. The visualisation section is working to include all Magics-6 features into its successor, Magics++.
Important issues for KNMI still are

• rotated-pole grids (Hirlam)
• Lambert-projection (Harmonie)

which are now high on the priority list for this summer.

A new interpolation package SCIN is being developed and will be available for testing in the near future. It will be used in the visualisation software, but can also be used for other applications.

User feedback on Magics++ and Metview-4 is welcome. At KNMI Metview-4 is available on Linux workstations as metview-4.

ECFS and ecTools

A new ECFS client has been developed and made available for users. For more information, see the link in the menu right.
The upcoming version of ECaccess has a new set of ecTools for e.g. direct access to ECFS from a remote workstation. This needs an upgrade of the ECaccess software (at KNMI). More information on the new commands is on page 11 and 12 of the introduction to ECaccess from the Introduction Course (see menu).

ecFlow

The Supervisor Monitor Scheduler SMS which has been used for two decades to run the Centre's operational suite, is going to be replaced by a new system, called ecFlow. The system will also be available for Member States. In September ECMWF organises a course to familiarise Member State users with the new software.

ecCharts

ECMWF is developing a new interactive web-based visualisation system for their products: ecCharts. It will be highly available, in order to be used by forecasters in ECMWF Member States in their day-to-day work. Several forecasters at KNMI already have experience with the system. Feedback is welcomed.
EcCharts will only be available for forecasters.